Roger Federer Dominates QF Against Murray’s Victor, Faces Wawrinka

This is his first tournament since a 6-month injury lay-off.

Roger Federer advanced to his 13th Australian Open semifinal with a 6-1, 7-5, 6-2 win over Mischa Zverev, the player who upset top-seeded Andy Murray two nights earlier.

Chasing an 18th grand slam title, and the first since 2012, the 35-year-old Federer neutered his left-handed German opponent's serve-volley game to set up a last-four meeting with fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka.

It took Zverev 15 minutes to hold serve and get on the scoreboard and by that stage he was already 5-0 down in the opening set. Federer needed just four more minutes to wrap up the set with a leaping backhand at the net but Zverev gradually found his touch and broke for 3-1 in the second set.

Federer broke straight back but Zverev, who admitted after beating Murray that he had no Plan B, continued to charge to the net to greater and greater effect.

I never thought I would get this far and here I am, still standing. A semi-final against Stan, it couldn’t be cooler.

Roger Federer

The Swiss legend took his time, though, and couple of brilliant backhand passes gave him another break before he served out the set with less than an hour on the clock.

A third set, full of deft shots went with serve until another Federer backhand gave him a break for 5-2 and a rasping crosscourt winner, his 65th of the match, sent him into a 41st grand slam semi-final.

Federer will play US Open winner Stan Wawrinka, who earlier beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets, in the semifinals.

"Please don't lose, Daddy, we want to stay here for longer!" - We love @Melbourne too, #Federer clan! 😂😉 #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/si3wbyxHtl

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2017

Looking in imperious form - as in his heyday a decade ago - despite missing the back end of last season after knee surgery, Federer is now one match away from a potential final against his old rival Rafael Nadal.

Wawrinka, the 2014 champion, will want to have a say about that as will Nadal's quarter-final opponent, Milos Raonic. But with both Williams sisters also still standing in the women's draw, it would be easy to imagine it was 2007 not 2017 at Melbourne Park.

Zverev's serve-and-volley game is a throwback to an even earlier era and the world number 50 contributed fully to an entertaining, if short, contest with his fine volleying and net play.